Refrigerating-safe



UNITED STATES PATENT rricn,

JOSIAH C. IVRIGHT, OF OOCHRAN, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO JOHN G. NOTHDURFT & (30., OF NEW CASTLE,

PENNSYLVANIA.

REFRIGERATlNG SAFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,625, dated February 5, 1895.

Application filed March 8,1893. Serial No. 465,11 '7. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSIAH O. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cochran, in the county of Dearborn and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating-Safes and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to provision safes such as are used in dining-rooms and kitchens, and where such safes are adjustable in a manner that after use, they may be conveniently moved into a cooling room for the purpose of refrigerating and preserving their contents.

My improvements are particularly appli cable to safes of the kind which are vertically adjustable and moved from one room to another. The one and upper room of these two, is generally the dining-room or kitchen, and the one below it is the cellar, into which the safe with its contents is lowered to keep the latter cool until needed again. One of the difficulties with safes of this kind has been the effect of the changes of temperature on the means by which they are guided and the difficulty to start and manipulate them readily.

The features of my invention comprise therefore in combination with such safes, means for guiding and balancingthem, means whereby they may be readily manipulated and adjusted, and means to lock them in positiomwhen adjusted. For convenience in shipping and erecting, all the stationary parts are united in a compact frame.

In the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims, is found a full description of my invention, its operation, parts and construction, the latter also being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fignre 1 shows in a vertical sect-ion a part of a building, that is two rooms of it, one be low the other, with my safe in position in the upper room. Fig. 2 shows the safe in its lowered position. Fig. 3 is a partial front view of the safe in its raised position as it appears in Fig. 1, and parts broken away and shown in section. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section of a part of the safe, and a top view of the parts below it, and Fig. 5 is a view similar to the preceding one with a slight modification in the construction.

The body 8, of such a safe is best constructed of a material which does not warp or corrode, nor is otherwise affected by changes of temperature which occur with every movement from one room to another. I have selected galvanized metal for such a material, which meets the above mentioned require ments, and combines the necessary strength with less weight than any other material. This latter however does not materially affect the constructive part of the whole structure, and therefore I do not intend to confine myself solely to it.

hen needed the safe is elevated into the upper room 9, (dining-room or kitchen) and after use it is lowered into the collar, 10, passing down through a suitable opening 11, in floor 12. This opening is surrounded by a frame 13, which carries all the means to guide, support and balance the safe, the latter being adjusted and fitted to these means, so that in order to set the device up, it is only necessary to cut a hole into the floor to fit this frame, and to secure the same in place, after which everything is in working order and no further adjustment necessary. The upper, inner edge of this frame is rabbeted at 14, into which the projecting top 15, of the safe fits when down, in which position this top is level with the floor, becoming a part thereof and completely closing the opening therein. (See Fig. 2.)

For the purpose of holding the safe straight in its travel, and rigid in its elevated position, it is provided with guides 17, on each side, each of which is confined and held in position by two groups of three rollers 18, see cured to posts 19, which depend from frame 13, to which these posts are fastened.

The safe is balanced by a number of weights secured to a weight-bar 20, suspended on ropes 21, which pass over pulleys 22, pivoted to frame 13. The other ends of these ropes are secured to a stop-bar 23, which by means of post 24, connects to the safe 8. This stop-bar projects beyond frame 13, on either side (see Fig. 3) so as to cause it to come in contact therewith for the purpose of limiting the upward movement of the safe. The downward movement of the latter is limited by top 15, when in engagement with rabbet 14. Bar 20, is provided with a number of hooks to which the weights are hung, and whereby their number may be conveniently increased or lessened, until the proper balance is obtained. In adjusting this balance sufficient weights should be hung on to slightly overbalance the weight of the safe, together with the weight of the provisions which it ordinarily contains, so that the whole readily rises when Wanted above, and needs only very little exertion to push itdown again. To adjust this balance still closer, extra and smaller weights 25, are provided, to be put in or taken out of the safe itself, serving as a means to compensate for the variable weight of its contents.

In order to hold the safe down I provide a,

hook 26, on bar 20, which engages with a spring-catch 27, pivoted to frame 13, and held in operative position byaspring 28. For the purpose of its release, catch 27, is provided with a lever 29, the end of which is accessible through a hole 30, in frame 13. If this end is depressed, catch 27 releases the weightbar 20, which begins to descend at once, and thereby raises the safe. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) This latter rises until stop-bar 23, comes in contact with the under side of frame 13, in which position it will be held by the weights, as shown in Fig. 1.

To prevent the jar which the impact be tween bar 23, and frame 13, might cause, springs 31 are interposed, which act as bumpers. Similar springs 32, are provided where Weight-bar 20, would otherwise come in direct contact with frame 13. These springs becoming compressed by their respective bars 20, or 22, act also by their expansive tendency as a medium to furnish the safe with a starting impetus when manipulated in either direction.

For the purpose of operating catch 27, and depressing lever 29, a permanent treadle 33,

may be provided, or a suitable implement to r be inserted into hole 30, may be used. To prevent hook 26 from following catch 27, by reason of the frictional contact between them, a pin 34:, is provided, which prevents such, and secures a prompt separation of the two.

The body of the safe may be all solid and closed, or all, or parts of it may consist of wirecloth or perforated metal, to permit the air to circulate through it. When made of metal, the joints are best made as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, at 35, where on one side the ,edge is doubled up, lapping over the edge of the other side, after which the two sides are united by an application of solder.

Guides 17, are fixed to the outside and may consist of wood, as shown in Fig. 4, or of angle iron as shown in Fig. 5.

Having described my invention, I claim as new- 1. In a veltically adjustable refrigerating safe, the combination of a safe having guides 17, guide-rollers to engage with these guides, a weight-carrying bar 20, secured by ropes to the safe, pulleys over which these ropes pass, a hook 26, secured to the weight-bar, a springcatch 27, and lever 29, accessible from above for the purpose of releasing the weight-bar.

2. In a vertically adjustable refrigerating safe, the combination of a safe having guides 17, guide-rollers to engage with these guides, a weight-carrying bar 20, secured by ropes to the safe, pulleys over which these ropes pass, a hook 26, secured to the Weight-bar, a sp ringcatch 27, a lever 29, accessible from above for the purpose of releasing the weight-bar, and a stop 34, between spring-catch 27 and hook 26 to prevent this latter from following the former, and to insure a prompt separation.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSIAH C. IVRIGHT. WVitnesses:

FRED MAUNTEL, FRED O. MAUNTEL. 

